Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS

The Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS was formed in 1941 as SS Freiwilligen-Batallion Nordost and were made up of Finnish volunteers who had signed on the fight the Soviet Union (and no other countries) for two years, who also refused to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler and they were commanded primarily by Finnish officers, though there original demand to only be led by Finnish officers where never completly met.It was sent from the training grounds at Gross-Born to the front at the Mius River in January 1942 were it was attached to the SS Wiking division (mot). It fought in the offensive battles along the Mius River and later in the Caucasus.

In May 1943 it was transferred away from the front, as the two years was at an end, and it was disbanded in July 1943.

"I have never had better battalion." (1)

SS-Gruppenführer Gottlob Berger, head of SS-Hauptamt and a key figure in the recuritment of non-Germans to the German forces, in a letter to the author Mauno Jokipii dated 11 September 1961.

"...Where a Finnish SS-man stood, the enemy was always defeated." (1)

Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, Order of the day of 11 July 1943 when the battalion was released from the Waffen-SS

Commander

Order of battle

Notable members

Wilhelm Tieke (author of several books on the Waffen-SS)Lauri Törni (served in Finnish and German forces during the war and was killed in the Vietnam War serving with the US Army Special Forces)

Insignia

The "Finnisches Frw. Bataillon der Waffen-SS" cuff title was authorized for this unit in November 1941.Flag of Finnisches Freiwilligen Bataillon der Waffen-SS(Courtesy of Wikimedia)Finnish volunteers, note the Finnish national shield on the lower arm(Courtesy of Christian)

SS-Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner with the Finnish volunteers in Hanko after their return to Finland(Courtesy of SA-kuva)

SS-Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner and General Malmberg inspects the Finnish volunteers in Hanko after their return to Finland(Courtesy of SA-kuva)

A memorial to the Finnish soldiers who fought in the German forces on the Hietaniemi cemetery (Sandudds begravningsplats) in HelsinkiThe text reads "In the memory of volunteer Finns who lost their lives for the liberty of [Finnish] Fatherland while serving under German military forces [army] 1941 - 1943. Brothers in arms."(Courtesy of Juho Ojala, krigsminnen.se)

Footnotes

1. "Panttipataljoona" by Mauno Jokipii, page 678 in the 4th edition published in 2000.